Get the most in-demand tickets cheapest

7 reasons to be excited about September

Antici ….. pation’s running high for the return of Richard O’Brien as The Narrator in the musical he wrote, The Rocky Horror Show. It runs 11-26/9 at the Playhouse Theatre with a show broadcast to cinemas 17/9 in aid of Amnesty International starring Stephen Fry, Mel Giedroyc, Emma Bunton and Anthony Head. The regular cast includes the brilliant David Bedella (Jerry Springer – The Opera) and tours nationwide after this run.

2. John Waters BFI Q&A

We’re in the audience for a BFI Q&A with one of our all time heroes 18/9, director/screenwriter John Waters who gave us Hairspray (clip above), Cry Baby and Serial Mom amongst many others. We’ve not seen his more notorious earlier films especially starring Divine, who is fantastic in the original Hairspray in a role played later by John Travolta, but there’s an opportunity to do that during this BFI Walters season.

3. Florence and The Machine tour

Their 12-date UK and Ireland tour kicks off 9/9 and concludes with four nights at Alexandra Palace. The clip above features stunning new single Queen Of Peace from the brilliant How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful album and they were our pick of the acts at this year’s Glastonbury. We know they’re not for everyone particularly our hairdresser who remarked that although she normally enjoyed Flo’s voice, wasn’t she so out of tune at Glasto? Erm …

4. Michael Fassbender in Macbeth

Lots of very early Oscar buzz about the ‘Bender’s turn in the titular role of the Scottish play. Technically not out until 2/10 but we’re seeing it this month and will preview so it makes our list. Fassbender is one of our favourite actors because he has that rare chameleon-like quality of utterly submersing himself in a role (both physically and mentally) that you totally forget which actor you’re watching playing a part. It all looks very Game of Thrones and he’s filming the Prometheus sequel in January. Amazing.

5. Farewell to Downton Abbey

Alongside fellow ratings behemoths Strictly Come Dancing and X Factor, Downton Abbey has become a fixture of our autumn viewing but this sixth series will be its last. We still think (SPOILER ALERT) it jumped the shark in series three with Lady Sybil’s death but we’ll be at a cast Q&A and preview in September to find out whether those rumours of an ITV origins spin-off series or film are true. Nine episodes including a Christmas special in this run to savour.

6. Matthew Warchus takes the Old Vic baton

Pride director Matthew Warchus takes over from Kevin Spacey at the Old Vic with Rob Brydon-starrer Future Conditional 1/9, which runs to 3/10. There were so many highs to Spacey’s run that any change was bound to be difficult but we wish Warchus the best. Pride was our favourite film of last year so our hopes are high.

7. Farinelli and the King brings Mark Rylance to the West End

Is Mark Rylance Britain’s best actor? Transferring from The Globe, he stars in wife Claire van Kampen’s new play at the Duke Of York’s Theatre 14/9 – 5/12 giving us a chance to judge.

Is there something taking place in September that you’re excited about but that we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments below.